Mom's Post Is An Important Reminder That Kids Can Get Heatstroke Indoors, Too

"Clear proof a child doesn't need to be in the sun to get heatstroke."

As summer is upon us, most are celebrating being out in the sun, going to the beach, swimming in the pool, or just lounging at home. But with summer comes the sun and its heat, and at high doses, this can be dangerous. In fact, The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that, on average, 618 people in the United States will die of heatstroke every year, yet it is something that is preventable.

While we frequently hear about people getting heatstroke from being in a hot car, or from being outside in the sun, we seldom hear of cases where people get heatstroke indoors. But it is very much possible to get heatstroke even when you are inside of a house.

Mom Jennifer Abma is making sure parents are aware of this lesser-known fact so they can keep their kids safe, no matter where they are.

The 23-year-old Canadian single mom wrote an Instagram post after a frightening incident with her 3-year-old daughter, Anastasia. On a 90-degree day, Anastasia and her 1-year-old sister Ariel were inside playing together when Anastasia decided to take a nap. When Abma went to wake her daughter up 90 minutes later, Anastasia would not get up.

The mom promptly called the paramedics and states that it took 15 minutes to wake her daughter up.

Though Abma's area in Canada rarely rises above 80 degrees, Abma told TODAY that the temperature in her daughter's bedroom had hit 122 F that day, despite the windows and blinds being closed. The room didn't have a fan or air conditioning and Anastasia had the signs of heatstroke. She was sweating, red-faced, and had a body temperature of 104 F. After the emergency services assessed her, they also found she had low blood sugar — another indicator of heatstroke— and she needed to be administered sucrose.

Abma said she felt mortified she could let something like this happen, but felt it was important to share the experience on Instagram so other parents can be aware that heatstroke can happen at any time. "This is a lesson learned and hopefully other parents can take something from this and make sure [they] are checking the rooms in [their houses] because they can be as dangerous as a hot car," she wrote.